Frost-protected shallow foundations rely on placing enough insulation outside of a shallow foundation to protect it from heaving due to seasonal freezing. Temperature sensors were installed at two houses with these foundations to measure the thermal regime of the soil.

CCHRC and the Alaska Center for Energy and Power conducted the first in-depth assessment of ground source heat pumps in Alaska. We studied a system at a local elementary school that uses warmth from the ground to heat the building, and recharges the soil with solar energy in the summer.